Opened in 2012, Jinji Chocolate is a popular artisan chocolate store located in the Baltimore’s historic Waverly neighborhood. Founded by Jinji Fraser and her father, Guy, Jinji Chocolate offers a decadent selection of dairy- and gluten- free chocolates, including chocolate bars, truffles and fudge, as well as unique treats such as date poppers, and chocolate covered coffee beans. The shop itself is bright and vibrant, adorned with handwritten cards that describe the ingredients of the treats.
Leveraging local, seasonally selected ingredients, every item is made from cacao harvested by hand. Committed to ethical and sustainable practices, Jinji ensures that the raw ingredients are responsibly sourced. She purchases cacao butter, nibs and powder come from Peru and imports her beans from Golden Beans Estate, a small female-owned, family-run farm in Trinidad. Over time, the beans are roasted and ground into chocolate before being transformed into bars, while the cacao is crafted into truffles, fudge and other sweets.
“Our hope is that people taste the story the chocolate tells of the land and of the people who take care of the land and harvest the cacao” - Jinji Fraser, Baltimore Magazine
What sets Jinji Chocolate apart is its focus on storytelling. Each creation begins with a specific memory, event or emotion as the starting point. From there, the team works to recreate the feeling associated with that memory in each treat. Every ingredient is intentionally selected not just for quality, but for its ability to evoke a specific sense of place and time so that each bite is capable of transporting consumers to the very beginning of the story. In an interview with BmoreArt, Jinji expressed that “Chocolate is just this nostalgic thing. You can describe it like memories.”
The website features various stories that inspired these treats, as well as their unique flavor notes. One story in particular reflects on how we experience love, sometimes losing ourselves in it, and the process of returning to our true selves. The flavor notes of this treat include tahini white chocolate, hints of black pepper and tobacco, and local citrus and poppyseed.
